Author Offers Character Naming Rights to Raise Money for Alzheimer’s

Tess Gerritsen is an international bestselling author who is using her books to make a difference in the fight against Alzheimer’s.

After losing her father to the disease is in 2003, she launched her personal “War on Alzheimer’s,” asking readers to donate money for research in exchange for the opportunity to name characters in her newest book.

Learn more about this opportunity to raise money for Alzheimer’s.

International Bestselling Author Launches Personal War on Alzheimer’s

It is estimated that in 2015 alone, 700,000 people in the United States over the age of 65 will die with Alzheimer’s disease. It is a leading cause of death in the U.S. and costs the country billion of dollars in care costs.

She is troubled by the lack of public funds set for research and said:

“This is something I can do. It’s personal for me because of what my family went through, but it’s personal for everybody. We all know somebody suffering from Alzheimer’s.”

Turning a Challenge Into an Alzheimer’s Opportunity

Tess Gerritsen, by: Jacob Gerritsen

Gerritsen admits that naming characters has been a challenge for her in the past, saying she often goes through the phone book to find names that may work for her series. She recently took her naming problem to the masses, solving two problems with one campaign.

In 2013, she asked her readers to consider donating to the Scripps Research Institute in California and Florida to fight Alzheimer’s and, in return, two donors would be given the chance to name characters in one of her books. Over 400 people donated almost $28,000 to that campaign. In addition, she matched their generosity with a $25,000 donation herself. The winners of that fundraising campaign chose to name their characters in memory of loved ones lost to Alzheimer’s.

Gerritsen chose Scripps Research Institute to be the beneficiary of her contest because, according to their Charity Navigator score, most of the donations will go to research and not administration costs.

Beginning this month, she is starting a new fundraising campaign again raising money for Alzheimer’s research. Donate to Scripps and enter to win the opportunity to name a character (she warns that it could be villain) in her new book!

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About The Author

Alissa Sauer has been dedicated to writing articles about Alzheimer's research and senior living for over 4 years. With a Communications Degree from the University of Illinois, Alissa strives to help families understand and manage the changes that often accompany caring for a senior loved one. On a personal note, Alissa enjoys traveling around the world as a military spouse and spending time with her two young children and Golden Retriever.

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